What do Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Devin Haney have in common? Well, other than the fact that they were once trained by Floyd Mayweather Sr., nothing just yet. But if things go the way Devin Haney is thinking of taking them, it’s all about to change. Even though he comes from a solid boxing background, Devin Haney has always been seen as a ‘protected fighter’ whose opponents are carefully picked by his father, Bill Haney. Despite being the youngest undisputed lightweight champion in history with a 31-0 record and 15 knockouts, for some reason (the suit against Ryan Garcia may have added to it), most boxing fans still want to see him lose. The 26-year-old even said it himself recently—fans are paying not to cheer him on, but to see him fall.

Now that Devin Haney is scheduled to step into the ring with Jose Ramirez on May 2nd at the Fatal Fury card in New York, The Dream knows the same energy is coming his way. But here’s where he flips the script. Instead of letting the hate get to him, Devin Haney’s using it—just like how Floyd Mayweather did. And that right there? That’s the beginning of Haney’s villain arc.

Being the Villain might be the way forward

“Devin Haney believes he’s on the verge of becoming a massive star after embracing his new ‘villain’ personality,” posted Boxing Kingdom a few hours ago, based on an interview the Ring had with the 26-year-old. Just like Floyd Mayweather Jr. flipped the script from “Pretty Boy” to “Money” and became a global superstar, ‘The Dream’ is trying to carve out his own legacy by embracing the hate—and cashing in on it.

“That’s when Floyd became the big star, when he became the villain,” Haney said in the interview with The Ring. “I think the same way. That’s when I’ll become a massive star… People want to see me lose now. They want to pay to see me lose. So I’m happy.” He didn’t stop there. “I was always the villain,” he added. “But I was also a good guy… I’m OK with being the villain. I was secretly the bad guy but was acting like the good guy. Now I can come out of the costume and just be me.”

Let’s be honest—up until a few years ago, Devin Haney was doing just fine. Winning fights? Yep. Staying undefeated? Check. But was anyone really talking about him for his style or flair in the ring? Not really. He was solid, but not exactly headline material. That is… until Ryan Garcia came back into the picture. After Ryan Garcia beat Devin Haney last year in April, everyone felt that the hype job done by his father had now been uncovered. However, the boxing community soon got split in two when the fight result was overturned to a no-contest after Garcia tested positive for PEDs. But Haney also took it a step further—filing a lawsuit against Garcia for battery, breach of contract, and fraud.

Soon, instead of sympathy, Devin Haney received hatred from core boxing fans. The internet flipped the script and painted him as the villain. But here’s the kicker—Haney doesn’t seem to care one bit. “Life has been good,” he stated. “I had time to rest and recover while taking some time away from boxing. I had a break and I needed it.”

So now, Haney’s not walking in as the clean-cut ‘Mr. Nice Guy’ anymore. He’s embraced the hate. He’s leaning into the villain role. Because let’s face it—in today’s boxing world, sometimes the boo birds bring more money than the cheerful hurrahs. And make no mistake—Devin Haney knows the public wants to see Ryan Garcia win again. He knows people are waiting for him to fall. But instead of resisting it, he’s owning it. However, the big question now is: Is Devin Haney really okay? Is he ready for war?

Devin Haney may have signed on for a long night

Devin Haney didn’t take an official loss on paper, but let’s be real, getting dropped three times in one night? That kind of beating doesn’t just vanish from memory. Fans have been understandably curious: Is Devin really okay after that wild fight with Ryan Garcia? So when his father and trainer, Bill Haney, was asked point-blank about Devin’s mental state, you’d expect a solid answer. But instead of giving fans the clarity they were hoping for, Bill took a detour into the world of vibes and energy. He started talking about Devin’s “aura” being intact, adding, “If you can come up around a person and feel good about them, then you know their aura is intact.” Uh… what? Let’s just say it wasn’t the most reassuring response.

Even though Jose Ramirez had a rough go last year, taking a loss against the undefeated Arnold Barboza, he still showed heart. Which means, if Devin Haney isn’t firing on all cylinders, he’s in for a long night. Being a former WBC and WBO world champion, a 2012 Olympian, Ramirez is no warm-up fight. He wants to test Haney’s chin, see if that knockout vulnerability from the Garcia fight is still there.

So why pick Ramirez for the comeback? According to Bill, it had to be someone respectable because of the big payday from His Excellency Turki Alalshikh and the spotlight of the Fatal Fury card. He couldn’t just pick a random opponent.

On May 2nd, Devin Haney needs to show up not just physically, but mentally ready to prove he’s still elite. Because if he falters—even slightly—Ramirez is going to capitalize. And if he loses? That massive grudge match with Ryan Garcia in October? Gone. Do you think Devi Haney is okay? Can he beat Jose Ramirez? Or is it going to be an easy fight for Devin Haney?